Charge-car.



1. E. GREENUAWALT.l

CHARGE CAR.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.5. 1914. v

Patented Jan.16,1917. 4 sains-SHEET x'.

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ATTORNEX.

LE. GREEN-AWALT.

CHARGE CAR.A

APPLICATION FILED Aus.5. 1914.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Salins-snaar 2.

vo o!o o '.o o o o ATTORNEY.

'1. E. GREENAWALT.

CHARGE CAR.

, l l PPLICA`TION FILEQ vAUG 5 |914 Patented 16, 4 supers-SHEET 3..

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1.- E. GREENAWALT.

CHARGE CAB. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1914.-

Patented Jan. 16, 1917. I

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To all lwhom 'it may concern.;

f Um'rnn sans PATENT oFFroE.

JOHN E. GREENAWALT, F DENVER, COLORADO.

CHARGE-CAR.

-Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

I Application filed August 5, 1914. i Serial No. 855,183.

Be it known that I, JOHN E. GREENA- WALT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State ofA Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Charge- Cars, of. which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to. improvements inv charge-cars; and it conslsts in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a slde elevaltion of the charge-car with the controlling gates 'in closed position, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical middle cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 4, the 4gates being shown closed; Fig. 3 is a similar section, with the gates however shown in open position, and with the leveling plate depressed; Fig. 4 is a top plan of the car, parts being broken away; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation, or a view looking toward the bedding hopper,

.parts beingin section; Fig: 6 is a vertlcal sectional detail on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional detail of the eccentric which controls the shaft of the delivery drum of the bedding material, the

shaft being shown in elevation; Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, -said figure likewise illustrating the friction pulleys diagrammatically; and Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional Vdetail on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2. v

' The present invention is an improvement on the structure of the traveling charge-car covered by U. S. Letters-Patent numbered 1,104,491, issued to me under date of July 21, 1914; and while contemplating the several objects and possessingthe various advantages of the vpatented construction, the

-invention herein is characterized by structural details which insure for the material charged into, and deposited in, the pan or container 'in which'vsaid material is to be treated, a smooth, even and compact upper surface, the homogeneous character of which makes it possible to secure asimultaneous ignition of the entire surface ofthe charge exposed to the igniting flame. Y This simula,

taneous ignition of the surface of the charge is an important factor, as without it the zone of combustion through the mass (so desirable to secure a homogeneous product) is practically impossible.

Another object of the present improvement is vto secure an even deposit of the bedding or coarse non-agglomerating porous layer on which the charge proper is s pread,

the thickness of such bottom layer being directly controlled by the speed or rate of advance of the car across the pan receiving the charge.

A further object is to provide structural features, the advantages of which will be fully apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a `pan or treatment receptacle which in practice may be of any convenient size, the same as in *my patent aforesaid, the pan being provided with grates G which collectively form the perforated bottom or sup ort for the charge of material m (usually es) to be treated orl sintered as well understood in the art. The pan or receptacle is provided with hollow trunni'ons 2 disposed below the grates and the charge supported thereon, and in the truck Tof the charge-car,`said truck havingmounted thereon the front charge hopper or holder H, and the rear bedding hopper or holder H. The truck is built of any suitable structural members, and the hoppers:

are made preferably of quarter inch boiler plate properly riveted together and reinforced wherever necessary, these features falling within the purview of the skilled mechanic. To relieve the pressure-on the walls of the hoppers, the latter are preferably provided with vertical partitions vla, a, which divide the respective hoppers into contiguous compartments for receiving the charges, the hopper H being filled with the charge of material (fines) m to be treated, and the hopper H being filled with coarse non-agglomerating material m which forms the pervious bedding for the charge m, a-layer of the bedding being first deposited and spread on the grates Gr. The truck T is preferably electrically propelled being provided with proper equipment for that purpose, that is to say with a controller C, a motor M, a reducer S, clutch-controlled gearing D, all well understood in the `art and shown herein more or less conventionally. By a proper manipulation of the controller and gearing, the truck T may be propelled along the rails R first in one direction and then in the opposite direction according to the service to be performed by the hoppers and their coperating elements to be presently referred to.

The discharge opening oI of the bedding hopper H is controlled by a hinged gate 5 secured to a rock-shaft 5 trunnioned between the sides of the truck frame T, the rock-shaft and gate being operated by hand levers or arms 6, 6, which oscillate along the curved plates or quadrants 7 secured to the hopper sides, said quadrants being provided with a series of holes or openings h with any one of which a corresponding hole or opening in the hand-lever may be brought I into register, and a locking pin or eye-bolt 8,

carried by a chain 9 fastened to the lever, inserted through said reglstering openings. In this way the gate 5 may be swung open to any degree or through any desired angle'and locked in position by the pin8. The bedding material m discharged fromthe hopper H f is directed out `of the hopper and properly distributed along the depository surface of the pan (that is to say along the upper surface of the grates G) by'a drum 10 disposed about a shaft 11, said shaft being disposed parallel to the axle A of the rear pair of truck-wheels`4, 4, and supported in bearings 12, 13, the former (12)' being any conventional form'of bearing which will permit of a slight oscillation of the shaft 11 for a purpose presently to appear. The bearing 13 carries an4 eccentric 14 through which the shaft lldirectly passes, said eccentric being provided with a lever arm 15. kBy oscillating the lever arm a rotation is imparted to the eccentric 14 and hence a slight oscillation is imparted to the shaft 11 about the bearing 12 as afulcrum. The end of the shaft 11 adjacent the bearing 13 carries a friction pulley 16 which, by a proper throw of the lever 15 may be brought into frictional engagement with the pulley 17 on the axle A. This engagement of course results from oscillating the shaft l11 toward the axle A with a rocking of the eccentric 14 in proper directionby means of the lever 15, a

formed in a plate 20 secured to the side of the truck frame T.

`The front wall or inclined bottom e of the charge hopper H is fixed, and is disposed at a steep angle to insure proper discharge of the contents, said wall e extending below the lower edge of the opposite or rear wall of the hopper, the vertical side walls of the hopper terminatingin bottom extensions or wings w, w, which reach down to within about an inch from the top edge of bars 22, 22, disposed in pairs, each pair having riveted thereto at an intermediate point a lug or arm 23 which is pivotally mounted between pairs of brackets 24, 24, secured along the rear wall of the hopper H, a hinge pin 25 being passed through registering openings in the parts 23, 24. A stiffener bar in the form of an angle-bar 21 secured to the levers 22 lserves to reinforce the free edge of the door or that most subjected to theabrading action of .the charge. lWhen the gate or door 21 is closed, the levers 22 (which lare slightly bent in the plane of their oscillation) assume the position shown in Fig.- 2, the upper ends being held away from the rear wall of the charge hopper by the toggle-links 26, 27, the shorter link being'` hinged to the member 27 andvits corresponding pair of levers 22, and the vfixed ends of the links 27 being formed with bosses d which are secured to a` rock-shaft 28 to one end of which is keyed an operating lever 29. When the lever is oscillated to the position indicated in Fig. 1, the shaft 28 is rocked in proper direction to straighten out the toggle formed by the links 26, 27 this action driving the upper ends yof the levers 22 from the rear wall of the charge-hopper, and causing the door21 to oscillate toward the hopper and close the mouth O thereof (Fig. 2). The door when thus swung to a closed position locks automatically under the action of the toggle, the straightening of the links 26, 27 insuring a positive lock. To unor closing the toggle (Fig. 3) when the door readily swings to open position, the same swinging freely about the hinge-pins 25, and yielding to the weight and pressure of the material released from thecharge hopper. In its oscillations the door 21 operates between the wings w, w, so that none of the charge can escapel from the sides of the hopper, every particle of the material being directed into the pan 1 above -which the car travels. The door 21 likewise operates on one side of the inclined wall e and below the bottom edge of the rear wall as obvious from the drawings. v f

Mounted between the wings w, w, in front of ,and adjacent the wall e of the charge hopper and slightly' above the lower edge ofl said wall and on the side of the wall opposite from the gate 21, is a trunnioned rockshaft or rockenbar 30 to one of whose terminal trunnions is keyed, or otherwise secured, an operating lever 31, the lever being spanned by a bracket or yoke 32 secured to the truck frame T. The lever may be locked either one-of its limiting positions by a pin 33 carried by a chain 34 secured to the bracket, the pin being passed through one of the openings l1, in the bracket and `an opening in the lever registering therewith. when the lever is swung through the necessary arc to effect such registry. To the rocker-bar 30 is secured a leveling plate or follower 35 whose free edge (that is to say, the edge farthest from the wall e), is provided with an angle-bar stiffener 36, the plate extending forward a suitable 4distance beyond the front vertical edges of the wings fw, w. The inner or rear edge w of the leveling plate is ordinarily at substantially the same level with the edge a: of the. wall e (Figs. 2, 3,) in which case the edge alone acts as a cutting edge; where the edge m is higher than the edge then both edges serve as cutting edges. In practice, however, i't is better not to have the edge higher than the edge m, for where both edges serve as cutting edges more material must be leveled and pressed down into the pan by the front edge of the plate 35, than is the case where a single cutting edge is used. In the present embodiment of my invention the leveling plate 35 is entirely out of range of the path of discharge of the material from the hopper H, 4the free or front oscillating edge of the plate being lifted about an inch 'or three quarters of4 an inch above the edge of the pan when the plate is in its raised position (Figs. 1, 2). When fully depressed (Fig. 3) the free edge of the plate is substantially on a level with the top edge of the pan, so that the material which projects above the top edge of the pan upon discharge thereof into the pan from the 'hopper H, will not only be leveled by the`y plate but' be smoothed down, and compacted into the pan leaving the upper crust of the charge in the pan in an ideal condition for subsequent ignition. In its depressed position, the plate 35 is disposed ata flat or acute angle to the plane of the upper surface of the charge, whereby A 3), the pan 1 being of course under the car.

The operator thereupon opens the gate 5 the `necessary degree, uncovering the discharge opening o which allows the bedding m to discharge over the ldrum 10. Rotation in proper direction is imparted to the drum by causing engagement between the friction pulleys 16, 17this being accomplished by a throw of the eccentric 15 in proper direcrotating drum 10 delivers a stream of material mf of a given thickness (Fig. 3), but in being spread over the grates G, this thickness is reduced by substantially one-half. It will b e seen that the pulley 17 which receives its rotation from the axle A of the rear wheels 4 has a diameter of substantially. one-half that of the pulley 16, so that the car travels a distance corresponding to two revolutions of the pulley 17 while the pulley 16 makes but one revolution. It follows therefore that the stream delivered by the drum 10 which rotates conjointly with the pulley 16, will 4be spread over an area whose dimension in the line of travel of the car is represented by two revolutions or circumferences of the rear wheels 1, and since,

tion (Fig. 8) as already explained. The l during this travel, the drum 10 makes but one revolution, the stream spread over the grates'and which forms the coarse bedding for the charge will be about one half the thickness at which it is delivered to the drum. Thus, and for example, assuming the opening 0 to be two inches wide, and assuming that the peripheral speed of the drum 10 is about one half the speed of the car, the two inch stream will be reduced to a one inch la er grates The thickness of the bedding is therefore determined by the gear ratio between the car axle or running gear and the feed or delivery drum 10. In the present embodiment of my invention, the porous beddingv is preferably deposited on the grates before the charge proper is admitted into the pan, so as to give theworkman an opportunity to see that all parts of the CIJ grates are thoroughly covered. I do not however, wish to be restricted to this preferred method of operation. y

The bedding being spread upon the grates (by a passage of the car across the pan.) the operator now reverses the motor causing the car to travel in the opposite direction (to the right in Fig. At the same time he opens the gate 21 by throwing the lever 29 in proper direction to break the toggle 26, 27, whereupon the contents of the hopper A is discharged through the mouth O int'o the pan on top of the bedding. As the car advances the edge m (or edges as described) will serve as a cutting edge for the discharged material, the operator at thev same time depressing the plate 35 (and locking the same in said depressed position) as already described, said plate leveling and compacting 'the upper layers of the` charge to a plane substantially even with the upper edge ofthe pan. Thus leveled and 'compacted, the chargeisin an'ideal condition for ignition and subsequent roasting, 'sinter-` roasting, or other treatment well understood in the art. y

I may of course depart from the structural details of the charge-car here shown. The truck part T might be otherwise constructed, adiferent type of motor might bev used, different means for operating the doors might be improvised, and `other changes made without departing from the spirit of my invention. The terms front and rear as used herein are merely for convenience.l Thus,fthe front wall e of the hopper H might be considered the rear wall depending on which end `we choose to regard the front of the machine. It is here termed front because thecar is regarded as advancing forward during the deposit of the bedding layer m on the grates, and rearward or backward during the deposit of the charge m over the bedding m. In this latterroperation the front or free edge of the follower plate or-leveler 35 follows the hppper H, and the cutting edge w, this constituting a feature not present in thev chargecar forming the subject-matter of my patent aforesaid. In the present construction thel wall e operates as a partition between the leveler 35 and the' charge-supporting door or gate 21, the parts 35 and 21 being disposed on opposite' sides of said wall e. In lieu of the reducing gear 16, 17 interposed between the running gear of the car and the drum 10, it is obvious that other gearing may be substituted, so as to obtain any desired relation between the peripheral speed of the drum and the travel of the car in any unit of time. In this way the thickness of the sheet of bedding` m deposited on the grates G may be varied to suit conditions.

We might for example 'employ speed orv i multiplying gears so as to increase the It will be observed (Fig. 3) that the door 21 is so pivoted or hinged, that in its oscillations the free edge thereof does not drop materially below the. bottom edges of the wings lw, w', (Fig. 3). This permits the door to. clear the pan and allows the car to be run past the pan when the latter is lled, without danger of the door fouling any portion of the pan. The leveler 35 of course passes off the edge of the pan as the car travels along the rails R. The present charge-car therefore contains a cutting element or w,) and a leveling and compressing element (35 or its equivalent) the former element cutting ofi1 the charge at a definitelevel as it is delivered from the 'hopper H, and the latter element leveling and compressing the same. The edge w in the present instance is the lower edge of the wall e of the charge hopper, but it need not necessarily be a part of the hopper to serve its function as a cutuniformly, but after the leveler 35 passes' overthe same, the charge is left as smooth and true'as the top of a table.

. Having described my invention, whatr` I claim is :f-

1. In a traveling charge-car, a holder having inclosing walls and open at the bottom,

a movable gate disposed across said openA bottom on one side of one of the inclosing walls aforesaid for supporting the charge in the holder, and a movable member on the opposite side of said wall operating to be depressed below the bottom edge of said I wall and below the level of the discharged material cut 0E by said edge whereby said member may serve as a leveler.

l 2. In a traveling charge-car, a holder having inclosing walls and open at the bottom, a movable gate disposed across said open bottom on one side of one of the inclosing walls aforesaid for supporting the charge in the holder, and an oscillating member on the opposite side of said wall adapted to be depressed below the lower or bottom edge of said wall whereby said member may serve as a leveler.

3. In a traveling charge-car, a holder having inclosing Walls and open at the bottom, a movable gate disposed across said open bottom on kone side of one of the inclosing walls aforesaid for sup orting the chargein the holder, and an oscillatin member disposed onthe opposite side o said wall out of range of the path of discharge ofthe macutting edge, and a movable leveling memharass@ y its axis of rotation disposed on the opposite' side of said wall and between said wall and the free edge of the member, said free edge operating to be depressed below the bottom edge of said wall and below the discharged material cut oiiby said edge, whereby the bottom edge of the wall serves as a cutting edge andY the depressed member serves as a leveler with a travel of the car in proper direction.

5. In a traveling charge-car, a holder for the charge, a door or gate supporting the charge in the holder for a closed position of the gate and releasing the charge with an opening of the gate, and means on the car outside the wholder and positioned out of range of the path of discharge from the holder, for leveling the discharged material along a plane depressed below the'level of the discharged material cut oil' by the passage of the car thereover.

6. In combination with a treatment receptacle, a. charge-car provided with a holder disposed in movable relation to the receptacleand adapted to discharge thereinto, and a movable member o n the car operating to be depressed below the bottom of the holder and at an acute angle to and below the plane of, the upper surface of the material deposited in the receptacle for leveling the same.

V7. In combination with a treatment receptacle, a charge-car provided with aholder disposed in' movable relation to the recep` tacle and adapted to discharge thereinto, and an oscillating plate on the car operating to be depressed below the bottom of the holder and at a at angle toand below the plane of, the upper surface ofthe deposit in the pan, for leveling the material so deposited.

8. In al traveling charge-car, a holder provided with 'a bottom cutting edge, and a leveling member adapted to follow and be depressed below said edge.

9. In a traveling charge-car, a holder having a wall terminating at the bottom in a ber depressed below, and following said edge in the travel of the car in proper direction.

10. In a traveling charge-car provided with running gear, a suitable holder for the material, means for eii'ecting a discharge of said material with a travel of the car in a given direction, means for spreading the material so discharged, and lsuitable gearing interposed between the running gear and the spreadi-ng means for determining the thickness of the layer so spread.

11. In a traveling charge-car, a suitable holder for the material, means for releasing the contents of the holder, a rot-ating drum for spreading the material in sheet form after its release, suitable reducing gear interposed between the drum and runningy gear of the car for reducing the peripheral f speed of the drum relatively to the distance traveled by the car in a unit of time, whereby the thickness of the sheet may be pref of the inclined wall, a gate operating between the side extensions on one side or the inclined wall andpbelow the bottom of the rear wall for closing the open bottom of the holder and thereby supporting the charge, and a movable member on the opposite side of the inclined wall operating between the side extensions for leveling the contents of the holder to a plane below the level of vthe material as first discharged.

13. A charge-car having an open-bottomed holder comprising side parallel walls, a rear wall, and a front inclined wall terminating at the bottom below the bottom of the rear wall, wings or extensions leading from the side walls and bounding the lower portion of the inclined wall, a hinged -gate operating on one side of the inclined wall between the wings with its free edge maintained permanently above or not materially below the bottom edges of the wings, and an oscillating leveler plate mounted be= tween the wings on the opposite side of the inclined wall, and operating to be depressed below the bottom edge of the inclined wall and below and to a Hat angle with, the surface of the deposited charge to be leveled.

14. In `an apparatusof the character described, a holder for the material operating to discharge the same into a suitable receptacle, means for cutting off the charge in said receptacle at a certain level, and means for subsequently compressing the same to a different level.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a holder for the material operating to discharge the same into a suitable receptacle, means Jfor cutting off the charge in said receptaclev at a certain level, and means for subsequently-compressing and leveling the same to a lower level.

16. In an apparatus of the character dedetermined, and means for disenga'ging the scribed, a leveling cut-oil member operating in a given plane, and a compressing member operating in a different plane.

17, In an apparatus of the character described, a leveling cut-0H member operatin in a given plane, and a compressing an leveling member operating in a lower plane.

18. In 'an apparatus of the -c :haracter described,4 a fixed, levehng cut-oill member 

